Article carrier, shipping carton & package system

Abstract

Aspects of the invention provide a package system comprising: at least one secondary packaging container or carrier (790; 1090; 1190; 1290) holding at least one primary container (‘B’); a tertiary packaging carton (10; 90; 110; 310; T) holding the at least one secondary packaging container; and a blank (110; 1110; 1210; 1310; 1410; 1510; 1610; 710; 810) for forming the carrier (790; 1090; 1190; 1290). The blank comprising atop or bottom panel which is asymmetrical in shape about a centre axis of the top or bottom panel. The top or bottom panel by itself providing a single-layer top or bottom wall when a carton is erected from the blank. A first free side edge of the blank extends transversely with respect to the centre axis, at least a part of the first free edge being symmetrical about a point of symmetry.

1 . A combination of a tertiary carton and a plurality of packages received in the tertiary carton wherein the tertiary carton comprises a bottom panel and a plurality of side and end panels each extending upward from the bottom panel to form side and end walls, the plurality of side and end walls including a first side wall and a first end wall disposed at about a right angle with respect to one another, and a bevelled corner panel hingedly connected by respective fold lines between the first side wall and the first end wall, the plurality of packages comprising a corner package which comprises a secondary carton having a tubular structure and one or more generally cylindrical primary containers each received at least in part in the secondary carton, the tubular structure comprising a pair of opposing carton side panels, wherein the corner package is disposed with a terminal end “e 1 ” thereof facing the inside surface of the first end wall with the tubular axis of the secondary carton thereof extending generally perpendicularly to the first end wall, wherein the secondary carton of the corner package is in contact at one of the carton side panels thereof with the first side wall, and wherein the one or more primary containers of the corner package each is disposed with the cylindrical axis thereof extending generally perpendicularly to the bottom panel, the combination being characterized by the following formula: a 1 ≤½d, a 2 ≤½d and a 1 ≤b 1 ,
 where “d” is the maximum diameter (or maximum lateral size) of each of the one or more primary containers, “a 1 ” is the distance between a notional plane containing the inside surface of the first end wall and the fold line “F 1 ” between the corner panel and the first end wall, “a 2 ” is the distance between a notional plane containing the inside surface of the first side wall and the fold line “F 2 ” between the corner panel and the first end wall, and “b 1 ” is the distance between a notional plane containing the terminal end e 1  of the corner package and a maximum width point “P 1 ” along an end edge of one of the pair of carton side panels that is adjacent to the corner panel, the maximum width point P 1  defining the maximum width of the secondary carton extending between itself and a point on the other of the pair of carton side panels of the secondary carton, wherein the notional plane containing the terminal end e 1  is parallel to or contains the inside surface of the first end wall. 
 
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the distance a 2  is equal to or greater than a distance “b 2 ”, (a 2 ≥b 2 )
 wherein the distance b 2  is a distance between a notional plane containing the maximum width point P 1  and a second point “P 2 ” on the corner package, wherein the notional plane containing the maximum width point P 1  is parallel to or contains the inside surface of the first side wall, the second point P 2  being spaced apart from the maximum width point P 1 , the second point P 2  being in contact with the corner panel or closer to the corner panel than any other points on the corner package excluding the maximum width point P 1 . 
 
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 2  wherein the second carton of the corner package comprises a bevelled corner edge extending from the maximum width point P 1  to the second point P 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 3  wherein the bevelled corner edge comprises a top panel of the secondary carton of the corner package wherein a retention panel for engaging a primary container is hingedly connected to the bevelled corner edge. 
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 3  wherein the bevelled corner edge comprises a base panel of the secondary carton of the corner package wherein an opening for receiving a primary container is defined in the base panel. 
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 3  wherein the bevelled corner edge is parallel to or in contact with the corner panel. 
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 2  wherein the second point P 2  on the corner package is located on a corner primary container of the corner package. 
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the distance a 1  is equal to or less than 30% of the maximum diameter or maximum lateral size d, (a 1 ≤0.3d). 
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the maximum diameter or maximum lateral size d of each of the one or more primary containers is defined by a cross section of a shape selected from the group consisting of a circle, an ellipse, a squircle and a rounded rectangle. 
     
     
         10 . The combination of  claim 3  wherein the bevelled corner edge defines an angle “x” with respect to the notional plane containing the maximum width point P 1 , the angle x being equal to or greater than 10 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The combination of  claim 10  wherein the corner panel defines an angle “y 2 ” with respect to the notional plane containing the inside surface of the first side wall, the angle y 2  being equal to or greater than the angle x. 
     
     
         12 . The combination of  claim 11  wherein the corner panel defines an angle “y 1 ” with respect to the notional plane containing the inside surface of the first end wall, the angle y 1  being equal to or greater than the angle y 2 . 
     
     
         13 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the maximum width point P 1  is either in contact with the first side wall of the tertiary carton or is located adjacent to the fold line F 1  between the corner panel and the first side wall. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the terminal end e 1  of the corner package is in contact with the first end wall. 
     
     
         16 . The combination of  claim 2  wherein the second point P 2  on the corner package is either in contact with the corner panel and located between the fold lines F 1  and F 2  or is located adjacent to the fold line F 2  between the corner panel and the first end wall. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A blank for forming a carrier comprising:
 a top or bottom panel which is asymmetrical in shape about a center axis of the top or bottom panel, the top or bottom panel by itself providing a single-layer top or bottom wall of a carton erected from the blank; and   a first free side edge which extends transversely with respect to the center axis, at least a part of the first free edge being symmetrical about a point of symmetry;   wherein the top or bottom panel provides at least a part of the first free edge; and   wherein the blank is nestable with another blank of the same size and configuration such that the symmetrical part of the first free edge of the blank and that of the other blank are formed by a single die cut blade.   
     
     
         20 . A blank according to  claim 19  wherein the symmetrical part of the first free edge is non-linear. 
     
     
         21 . A blank according to  claim 19  wherein the top or bottom panel is disposed over or below, respectively, only a part of an endmost article. 
     
     
         22 . A package comprising an article carrier and one or more articles, the article carrier formed from the blank of  claim 19 , wherein the top or bottom panel is disposed over or below, respectively, one of the opposite ends of said one or more articles and wherein said one or more articles are each generally columnar in shape. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled)